That night, Silent Creek slept beneath a silver moon — but Nova didn't.
She sat cross-legged on her bed, the mysterious note in her lap, her eyes flicking between the spiral symbol and the map she had started sketching of the woods behind the school. Every memory from the past few days clung to her like fog.
Something had changed. And it had started with Liam.
At exactly midnight, a soft thud came from her window.
She froze.
Another thud.
Nova rushed to the window and pulled the curtain aside. A small rock rolled on the rooftop just outside. She hesitated… then opened the window.
A piece of folded paper was tied to the rock.
Her hands shook as she untied it.
"Meet me where the fog sleeps.Come alone ."
No name. Just the same spiral symbol.
Nova stared into the night. The fog was already curling in the distance like it knew she'd be coming.
She grabbed her flashlight and hoodie, then tiptoed past her sleeping aunt. Within minutes, she was outside, her breath fogging in the cold.
The town was silent, wrapped in a ghostly mist. She moved quickly through side streets until she reached the edge of the woods — the place where she'd first seen the shadow.
The fog was thick here, muffling every sound.
"Hello?" she whispered.
Something moved near the trees.
A flicker of light. Then a figure.
It was someone her age — hooded, half-hidden.
"You got the note," the figure said softly.
Nova stepped closer. "Who are you?"
The figure looked around, then pulled back their hood just enough for her to see a face she wasn't expecting.
"Mia?" Nova gasped.
Mia nodded. Her eyes were wide and scared.
"You need to know the truth," she whispered. "About everything."